Within Your Reach
by Jhanneman
Summary: Rogue-centric story. Rogue begins to question her place in the X-men, just in time for a new arrival. How will his presence effect the X-men as a whole? [RogueTodd (Toad)] Minor Jean bashing and the darker side of Rogue will be explored.
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: Hey! This is my first X-men fanfic. C & C is appreciated immensely. I'm not sure where i'm going to take this fic right now, I just love the character Rogue. Should it be a Romance? If I did a romance with Rogue, most likely I would want it to be with an unconventional character. There are so many Romy & Rietro fics out there. I kind of like the idea of maybe Rogue/Magneto or Rogue/Logan (I'm sure some of you are gagging right now!) but I don't want to write a typical fic. I emphasize this, if only this, I don't want to write something that's been done before. If you have any ideas for what I could do for this fic, share, please! Review or IM me on AIM J15922

X-men property of Marvel and other sources. Completely for entertainment value purposes only. I'm not making a profit with this writing.

* * *

The light filtered through the curtains as if they weren't even there, falling upon the prone lump on the bed. The lump stirred as if anticipating something, just as the door to the room was thrown open. A girl with her hair pulled back into a ponytail looked as if to shout something at the bed, but the lump threw the covers off herself and the bed, glaring at the figure in the door.

"How many tahmes do ah have to tell yah! Ah'm up!" the girl ground out as she sat up in the bed, mumbling to herself as her gloved hands searched the carpet for something. "Ah don't see why it's necessary tah get up so early. Lahke we can't train in the aftah'noon." Her face softened slightly as she found what she was looking for, a pair of boots. She immediately began putting them on, still under the watchful gaze of the girl in the doorway.

"Look Rogue, I don't like, make the rules. Everybody is supposed to be in the Danger Room in twenty minutes. So, like, hurry." She looked as if to leave the doorway but let out a sigh, finally taking in what the girl called Rogue was doing.

"You slept in your clothes again?!" She shook her head, exiting the doorway without another word.

Rogue grumbled something, though a faint smirk appeared on her lips, knowing not to take Kitty's words to heart. Rogue glanced at the curtained window, rising to her feet to pull them back. As soon as she had, she shielded her eyes from the harsh light. _Ah guess they weren't so transluscent aftah'all. _She contemplated the sight that met her eyes after a moment of adjustment, a few of the junior x-men were running around the yard, obviously playing around. She didn't fool herself, she knew she wouldn't be able to join in things like that. And why would she want to? Kids prancing around playing tag, but that didn't stop the look of longing from crossing her face momentarily. She snorted, finally turning and exiting the room with a slam of the door.

She was the last to arrive at the Danger Room, stopping before hand to grab a bit of breakfast and taking care of a few morning ablutions. Jean was the first to give her a look. _'Specially reserved for meh, ah know._ Rogue wasn't going to say anything, what was a little tardiness? They all were dreading the session anyway.

Storm cleared her throat, standing up from her chair. But before she was able to hand out directions the intercom buzzed.

"Session cancelled. Jean and Scott report to my office, the rest of you are free to go." The voice of Charles Xavier couldn't have been aptly timed. Kitty and Kurt let out a whoop as she phased and he teleported out of the room. Storm gave the remaining three a small smile as she motioned toward the door. Rogue snorted, leaving first for the elevator.

Few thoughts ran through Rogue's mind as she stood in wait in the elevator, but most importantly, _What am ah to do tahday? _She sighed at the thought, quickly trotting out of the elevator as the doors opened. Kurt and Kitty were waiting for her, both putting on an exagerrated air, tapping their feet and looking at their non-existant watches.

"What, like, took you so long, Rogue! We've been waiting forever."

"Ja, you couldn't of been slower if you dragged Magneto!"

She just rolled her eyes, walking past them toward the front door.

"Ach, leaving without us?!" Kurt spurted out as he teleported in front of her.

Rogue frowned, her arms folding across her chest. "Y'all be leaving me alone, now, ah think. Ah got a day off and ah don't want to be spendin' it at the mall. Why don't ya' go find your girlfriend?" She turned her head to glance back to Kitty. "And you, your boyfriend, ah? Lance is probably lost without yah."

Kitty turned beat red, her head shaking with barely contained fury. "He is _not_ my boyfriend!"

Rogue smirked, walking through the door without another word from either of them. She knew just how to shut them up.

* * *

The swing creaked under Rogue's weight, moving gently with her. She was in Bayville Park, the only person on the swings, though there were a few small kids by the slide. Their laughter didn't appear to reach Rogue though, maybe even the creaking escaped her ears. Her eyes were fixed upon the ground in front of her, her feet dragging slightly in the dirt as she moved in the swing.

_What's the phrase? Monotony is the mindkiller. So very true._ Rogue sighed, lazily looking toward the sky. How long had she been with the X-men? Sure, she lived well enough and everything seemed to be in its place, but in another sense, it wasn't. Rogue was suffocating with the everydayness of her situation. She was a mutant. She was supposed to be living the high life, or atleast living something extraordinary. But she wasn't. _Ah go to highschool for god's sakes! Ah don't want this._ But it wasn't like she was doing anything about it. _If only ah had somethin' to take the edge off._ Rogue's eyes flashed with unspoken thoughts and fantasies. Fantasies of her leading an amazing life, travelling, meeting new people, leaving the X-men behind. Maybe even conquering her mutation wasn't so far in the future.

Rogue let out a sigh, jumping from the swing. _Fantasies just waste time. Ah'm sure Ms. Perfect would be tellin' me to buckle down and do somethin' worthwhile. _Rogue shook her head, shaking her wrists out simultaneously and breaking into a run toward the Mansion.

A pair of eyes that were focused on Rogue flashed at her exit from the park, the bush shaking with the owner's own exit. "Heads up. The Rogue's heading your way."


	2. Chapter 2

AU Note: **Zero-Vision**: Rahne is supposedly 14 in the series and Rogue is 18, I wouldn't be comfortable writing romantic scenes between the two and I don't think I could do it justice anyway. 

I've decided this is going to be a Rogue/Todd (Toad) fic with some minor Jean bashing (and a dash of a more eviler Lance than canon). Who can't resist bashing Ms. Perfect..ly annoying? I'm gathering this fic will probably be around 20k and 12 chapters, hopefully. It's my first X-men project and I don't want to leave it unfinished. Hopefully I get some dedicated reviewers to spur me on, because I tend to publish it right after I write it, but of course I proof read and etc. Make sure to tell me if you think I need a beta! I'd love one if you're interested. (I'd love one just to IM about X-men Evolution and my ideas for this fic, period.) On with the show! (The show that belongs to WB, Marvel, all owners of X-men, and specifically.. not me)

* * *

Todd switched the walkie talkie off, hitching it into his belt, casting a quick glance to Pietro. _Just around the corner, now.._ _There!_

Todd quickly hopped into the open, Pietro falling in behind him. Todd gave him another look, just in time to see the blur that was Pietro's fist aiming straight at his face.

Rogue didn't know why she was running, but it felt great. The wind whipped through her hair as she turned the corner, just barely clearing the bush. But the sight that met her eyes almost made her stop in her tracks. Almost. Toad was being beaten to a pulp by a seemingly invisible attacker, though the hints to complete that puzzle were already there. Whisps of Pietro caught her eyes as he darted around his victim. Fists connecting at all the vitals. Rogue's gloves were off faster than she could even register what was happening, her feet the next to pick up their pace.

Pietro knew she was coming before she did. With a few parting blows to the now bloodied and battered form of Toad, and a glance to Rogue, long enough for her to register eye contact, he was gone. Safely ensconced around the corner, with his walkie talkie pressed on, he jabbed away at the other line, "The caged bird has just been set free. Never saw it coming."

He was met with a bit of feedback and the answering scratchily toned voice of Lance, "What are you talking like that for? Did you beat the crap out of Toad or what?"

Pietro groaned, pressing the button to give his reply, "You tell Mystique it's all going according to plan. Now get out of there before he gives you away, idiot."

The grin could be heard from Lance's voice even at this distance, answering with a mocking tone, "Ten-four, little buddy."

The danger now gone, Rogue approached Todd quietly, unsure of what had just happened, besides the fact that his friend just left him to die in the street. He was breathing shallowly, his eyes fluttering behind their lids. Rogue cleared her throat, dropping to one knee. Her ungloved hand hovering close to him.

"Todd? Ah'm confused as tah what just happened. Ah.. dropped my gloves. Ah'm not sure if I should touch yah, your uniform is torn.."

He groaned at the sound of the voice, lids barely opening to take in the sight of who it was coming from. "Help.. me.. Pie-ehh..tro.. La-aance..Hurts..."

Rogue shook with fury. _His own friends! Ya call that friendship!_ She finally noticed the metal object stuck in his belt, small antennae poking out from the top. Quickly and carefully, she took it from his belt, switching it on. With a firm grip on the button she began a not-quite eloquent speech, but effective none-the-less.

"Look yah little pricks. Ah don't know what tha' hell is wrong with y'all, but ah'm goin' to figure this out. You run, 'cause if ah see you anytime soon you can be sure ah won't be hidin' behind a pair o' gloves. And don't think ah didn't see ya! This stinks of yah Pietro. Lance, whoevah else is listenin', you be sure that Rogue will find yah sooner or later!"

And with her last sentiments, Rogue threw the walkie talkie across the road, unfortunately it landed intact next to a bush on an unsuspecting neighbor's lawn. She looked behind her, quickly tracing her steps and spotting her gloves. In a few moments she had them on and she was back on her knees in front of Todd's still idle body. "Look, uh.." _Soothing words! Think, soothing words!_ "..sugah." _Ugh! Wrong words!_ "Ah'm going to try and get you to the mansion. Ah don't know if ah'm outta the Professor's range or what not, but we are gonna have you patched up in a jiffy. You in safe hands now.." _Not yours. Nothing's safe in yours, mutant._

"Ro-o..gue?" Barely a reply, it was given so soft, yet harsh at the same time.

Rogue turned, hitching her arms under his as she pulled him up with a groan. _And ah thought he would be lighter with all that blood gone. No, no. Not funny._ Dragging him slowly, carefully with his heels against the ground posing as the only friction, she replied, "Yes, uh, it's me, Todd."

Todd tilted his head backward, a sad smile plastered across his face as his lids finally stopped their fluttering, his last image of a girl, he knew he should remember her but he couldn't for the life of him think of it, she smelled nice, almost over-empowering his odor.

Groaning, Rogue closed her eyes for a moment. _Shit. Jess' dead weight now. Might as well._ Pulling him up a little closer to her, her arms refocusing their grips under his as she continued dragging him with her down the sidewalk, she called out to the Professor telepathically. _Professah, ah need yah. It's Rogue. Ah got To..an injured mutant that needs assisstance. As soon as possible. Ah'm a couple blocks from the park, we need tah get him off tha street._

A voice, unmistakable, answered her call. _I'll have Hank down there with the X-Van momentarily._

Rogue glanced around, not seeing anyone, but she remained alert, nonetheless. _Ah don't know, but they might come back to.. finish tha' job. Not on my watch._ She saw a car pass at the corner, hoping for the X-van, but just a civilian vehicle. She was getting impatient, questioning whether she should be half dragging him against her down the sidewalk, in broad daylight. She wasn't surprised nobody else came for assistance. Seeing a teenager get beaten the crap out of by what was apparently air, spooked all the burbians on this block, no doubt. _Finally, _she thought as she saw the X-van round the corner at what seemed to her to be a rather slow speed. Hank pulled up to the sidewalk, the sidedoor opening as soon as the van was stopped. Rogue waited with Todd against her, needing his assistance to get him inside. Hank came around from the driver's seat, inside the van. Rogue leaned forward with Todd and Hank plucked him out of her grasp as if he were just a sack of potatoes, but with more care any sack of potatoes has ever seen. Placing him against the cot, he cast a quick glance to Rogue.

"You drive. There is only so much we can do for him in a mobile unit. We have to get him to the infirmary ASAP."

Rogue nodded her understanding, hopping out and shutting the door before proceeding to the driver's seat. With a quick shift to drive, they were on their way, her foot leaning heavily against the gas pedal. _What ah wouldn't give for Colossus' foot right now._

Hank's ministrations for Todd were barely heard by Rogue, all of her senses focused on getting them to the mansion as fast and somewhat safe as possible. A thought came to her while passing the curve to get to the mansion. _Professah? Have the gates open for us and have Kitty or Kurt, Kurt hopefully, ready to teleport us to the infirmary._

_Already done, Rogue. We await your arrival._ Just as these thoughts were exchanged they pulled into the drive, going past the open gate and around the curve in front of the house. Parking quickly, Rogue hopped out of the van, opening the door as Kurt bamfed into view. Hank jumped out of the van and Kurt bamfed inside, hesitating as he brought his arms around Todd. He quickly bamfed out of sight with the injured mutant, only to return a moment later. Holding out their hands to Kurt, Hank and Rogue quickly joined Todd in the infirmary, Kurt had placed him on a wheeled cot in the middle of the room. Hank glanced at the two, shaking his head as he proceeded with the cot to an isolated room with equipment.

Rogue looked on helplessly as the Beast dissapeared with Todd behind the curtains, Kurt's presence forgotten, her carefully placed façade slipping as she was again, helpless to do anything for him._ If only ah had come a moment sooner! Ah would be pummelin' Pietro an' Toad wouldn't be a.. indisposed. _She was finally shook from her reverie at the noise of Kurt's departure, and a quick look around told her it was only Todd, Beast and her left. She let out a sigh, walking over to a bench placed against the wall, taking a seat. Why do ah care so much? _Ah know why. Betrayal. It couldn't have hurt more if they had beat me to tha' ground._

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End file.
